The Road to Paris Peace Forum 2020: Calling for Innovative Projects in Response to a COVID-19 World

The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus has led to the deaths of hundreds and thousands of lives globally. Currently, stay-at-home practices are the best way of curbing the number of infections. Finding a vaccine is ultimately the number one weapon to fight this pandemic.

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic gives a new challenge to the global health system and a test to the United Nations member states commitments in protecting and empowering women in society. UN Women reveals that the economic impact of the COVID-19 is affecting women disproportionately and differently than men. The imposed social restrictions or even complete lockdowns in some countries have been affecting minority groups, informal workers and women-led small businesses in varying degrees, from having to balance between the new normal of taking care of their families while also working from home, to simply not having the luxuries to do so at all.

COVID-19 pandemic is not only a global health crisis, it has challenged the current state of our democracy. While both Indonesia and South Korea are countries that have been promoting democratic values in its socio-political system, this unprecedented COVID-19 has grown more concerned whether the pandemic has become the cover for the current political leadership’s authoritarian instinct and intent. Both governments have different containment policies and measures in combating COVID-19 and has also resulted in a dissimilar effect on the ground. This condition has sparked questions of whether democracy is the best form of government in handling the pandemic and how well kept are the values of democracy during the pandemic globally and particularly in both countries? What containment policies might be considered as authoritarian and has it significantly impacted citizens’ freedom of rights and expression?

The Jakarta Forum 2020 will be held on Friday, 29th of May 2020 at 09:00-11:00 GMT+7. This Forum aims to discuss the state of relations between ASEAN member countries and China during this time of duress for all and how to further develop cooperation at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic and envision the relationship after this health crisis ends.

Our oceans are under the threat of climate change — marked by damage to coral reefs in various parts of the world and ocean acidification. Humans have played a large part in sea damage through pollution from ships, from land, mining at sea, as well as irresponsible fisheries exploitation.

With the spreading of COVID-19 outbreak, the beginning of the year 2020 has seen a critical threat to state’s economy. In financial sector, Indonesia is under a threat of flagging rupiah with the currency exchange rate reached 16,625 as of 24 March 2020—the weakest since 1998 crisis. Minister of Finance Sri Mulyani stated that the worst situation of Indonesia’s growth could reach minus 0.4%. The pandemic is also testing political leadership of President Jokowi and his administration. Government’s efforts in dealing with the crisis are being questioned and considered lack of transparency. How has the pandemic impacted the economic and political condition in the last few months? Will political instability follow as caused by health crisis that triggered economy crisis?

The combination of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the oil collapse has created new threats to the economy, along with political instability and poverty in countries reliant on oil sales. The oil price war could be traced back to when OPEC producers tried to negotiate a production cut in line with a global demand slowdown and this condition has led to the oil price crash. With lockdown measures being implemented in 187 countries – bringing mobility to a halt- demand for oil has fallen resulted in the global oil price crash.

Ramadan is known as the time when gatherings and activities such as communal prayers, communal meals or banquets and pilgrimages are conducted every day amongst family, friends and also the mosque community. However, with the current COVID-19 pandemic, governments and the World Health Organizations (WHO) have taken several measurements to ensure a safe Ramadan practice while maintaining social distancing. As a result, physical worships such as communal prayers and religious sermons have been avoided and prayers are conducted at home using virtual alternatives.

On Monday, 11 May 2020, Foreign Policy Community of Indonesia (FPCI) has successfully convened a virtual roundtable discussion involving Governor of West Java Ridwan Kamil and several Foreign Ambassadors to Indonesia. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Dino Patti Djalal, Founder of FPCI. The Governor and Ambassadors had a fruitful discussion on best experiences and practices in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.